Health education head given degree honour

Ian Cumming OBE became the first chief executive of Health Education England when it was started in June last year by the Government.

And at a ceremony at the University’s School of Health and Wellbeing on Thursday, September 12, Ian was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science.

He said: “I am greatly honoured by this award. Although my links with the area only go back four years or so to when I took up post as the Chief Executive of the NHS in the West Midlands, I have become very aware of the remarkable contribution that the University makes not only to Wolverhampton and the Black Country, but also to the West Midlands and nationally.

“In my current role as Chief Executive of Health Education England we are tasked with the education, training and development of the entire current and future health and healthcare workforce for England.

“In delivering this objective, the University of Wolverhampton are one of our key partners who through their healthcare programmes train a workforce with the right skills, values and behaviours to deliver excellent healthcare to patients.”

Ian started his career in the NHS as a Biomedical Scientist and later worked in research into coagulation disorders in the Haemophilia Centre in Manchester, before moving into general management in the late 1980s.

He has held a variety of NHS senior management posts, including operating theatre manager at a large teaching hospital and assistant chief executive to the former North West Regional Health Authority, before spending the last 18 years in CEO roles in the NHS. When Ian was first appointed as CEO in 1995, he was the youngest ever chief executive in the NHS.

In 2006, after almost 12 years as the CEO of a group of teaching hospitals, Ian was appointed CEO of NHS North Lancashire, a NHS commissioning body.

From 2009 until 2011, Ian was CEO of NHS West Midlands - one of ten regional Strategic Health Authorities for the NHS in England. On taking up this role he also became a member of the national Management Board for the NHS in England.

ENDS

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